Read Tribe of the Snow Tiger (Legends of Windemere Book 10) for Free Online

understandable. I’m still concerned that you’re masking your pain by being overly playful and reckless.”
    “Do you really not think before you speak, my friend?” Timoran mutters as he steps between the half-elves. The shock and anger on Nyx’s face causes the large man to crouch and look into her eyes, his hand stretching back to cover the forest tracker’s mouth. “You know Luke is not always the most tactful and he did not mean to upset you. A trait I believe he learned from you, fire sprite. Please understand that he cares and is worried about your mental state. All of us are because we know what you went through to give Delvin your family’s heirloom ring and confess your feelings for him. The opportunity was taken away, which has to be frustrating and painful.”
    “It wasn’t taken away!” Nyx snaps, her voice cracking. With a long exhale that fills the air with the scent of chocolate, she clears her head and tries her best to explain herself. “I know it didn’t happen. I dream of telling Delvin the truth, but I can’t dwell on it like I did before. That wastes energy and time. We’ll be together again and I’ll get another chance. Until then, I will be happy that I am alive, undamaged, and with friends who care about me. Though that doesn’t mean I won’t knock one of you out for making me mad.”
    “You could just threaten Luke directly. We all know he’s the one you mean,” Dariana says with a small yawn. She wavers on her feet and stretches in an attempt to stay awake, her eyes fluttering rapidly. “How much longer do we have to travel? I’m very curious to see Stonehelm and Aintaranurh.”
    “A few more days,” Timoran replies before a faint sound catches his attention. He hunkers down to check the tracks that Luke pointed out, the noise helping him recognize the beast that left the trampled prints. “This is unexpected. I did not know snow tigers came so far south during the summer. Perhaps the wild game has been more plentiful here than in previous years, but this is still strange. We should investigate.”
    The barbarian begins digging through the snow until Nyx puts a hand on his arm and moves him back. She carefully melts the drift by creating a tight circle of heat around her body, the top layer of magic designed to warn her of hidden obstacles. Over the course of two hours, the champions veer to the west where they eventually reach an open plain of leveled snow. Straining his ears and sniffing at the gentle wind, Timoran tries to pinpoint the faint mewls that only he can hear. He gestures for the others to stay back as he scans the area for signs of his tribe’s spirit beast. Without realizing it, the barbarian reaches up to scratch his shoulder where a snow tiger’s claw mark remains emblazoned on his flesh.
    Luke is about to transform into the griffin to get an aerial view, but stops when all of the spirits in his body growl. Stiletto is the loudest, the dog picking up a scent that puts his nerves on edge. The griffin is less cautious, but the stench of feline blood makes her think it is best to stay out of sight. Nearly drowned out by the more aggressive creatures, the primal snake fiend can only hiss and snarl. It is only because of Luke’s ability to understand every spoken language that he deciphers the beast’s noise as a request for food. In fact, he gets the distinct impression that the snake fiend has caught a whiff of some nearby carrion.
    “My companions are acting crazy,” Luke whispers, knowing Timoran will still hear him from far away. His friend partially turns in order to pay attention while maintaining a watch on the open plain. “Lucy and Stiletto are cautious, but that might be because neither want to mess with a snow tiger. What’s more interesting is that the snake fiend senses food. Something is dead out there.”
    “I hear nearby thoughts too, but they are muffled,” Dariana adds while straining her telepathy. A twinge of pain in her head